Pokémaniacal!
by Wonderland Works
Summary: Seventeen year-old Ran wants a different life. Everything seems so pointless and boring! But everything changes when he visits a childrens' playground. ... Rated T for eventual violence as the story and characters progress.
1. 00 Prologue

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Prologue**

Ran's eyes flickered as they got used to the dull light of morning; his house was still and quiet so he knew his sister and mother wouldn't be at home. He rose under his covers and pulled the blankets away as he stuck each leg over the side of his bed, stretching and yawning and wiping the sleep from his eyes. He knew today was just going to be another do-as-you-please day for him, as it was every day. The annoyance of school no longer remained in his thoughts, along with the effort to get a job; he had no obligations whatsoever, and life always seemed to feel void and pointless.

Ran sat at his computer desk and turned the monitor on before rising again to get a fresh glass of water from the kitchen. He ran the tap and felt its temperature, all the while thinking hard about his near future. He filled his glass and returned to his room, placing his drink to the right of the monitor as he'd always done.

After several minutes of updating his F******k status and checking through his e-mail inbox, Ran closed all his programs and fiercely stood to gather clothes from his dresser before heading for the bathroom to shower. All he could think about was how he wanted to change his life for the better, but he just couldn't come up with a practical way to do it.

He could work at the I****g up the road, a twenty minute walk, but he didn't want to have to deal with the gas pumps and people who left without paying. Which ruled out the gas station closer to his dad's house as well. There were the many fast-food restaurants along the upper road, a thirty minute to an hour walk, but he really, _really_ didn't want to deal with food or large crowds. And that killed his chance at the W***y's, T** H****n's, and S****y near his dad's house, as well as the movie theatre just a forty-five minute walk up the hill.

Ran wasn't a bad kid; he never got into fights or argued with adults or most peers. He used to get good marks in school as long as he put in the effort to achieve them. After a while, however, that too became pointless. To Ran, society's version of life was simply a four-act play that society itself didn't realize it was performing: Act I: Birth (without choice); Act II: Learn (to work); Act III: Work (to live); and Act IV: Die. It was a cycle that Ran reluctantly had to be a part of, and he wanted out. There had to be another way to make a living!

After his shower, Ran put on his favourite boxer-shorts, ankle-socks, dark-grey t-shirt with long black sleeves and thumb holes, and his best pair of dark blue jeans. For a kid with "no life," Ran liked to feel well-dressed. He brushed his dark brown hair this way and that with his fingers and searched his room for his favourite chain necklace.

Today, he thought, I'm gunna find something more out there. I have to. I can't keep living like this!

He found his backpack from under his bed and opened it up, removed the many books and paper contents, threw in a couple of ready-made water bottles and found some granola bars to put inside the smaller pockets. He made some sandwiches and grabbed a package of salted crackers and tossed them into the bag as well. Grabbing his wallet from his top dresser drawer, he looked inside and completely emptied it, save for his picture I.D. and a picture of his best friend, Norah, and tucked it into the back pocket of his pants.

Ran tossed his pack beside the front door and looked for his camouflage jacket in the coat closet and put on his dark brown shoes. He looked around and finally thought he was ready to go for at least a day. He picked up his bag and headed out the door, made sure it was locked behind him, and started down the road.

Only twenty minutes had passed by the time he'd reached a large, wooden playground and considered changing his mind. What chance do I have of finding some new, life-altering thing in a day? he thought. Being almost eighteen, surely he wouldn't have found anything by wandering around his neighborhood in search of great motivation. He sat down at a table and looked up at the clear, blue sky while he ate a peanut butter sandwich.

There was nothing out there. Nothing at all. There couldn't be. His interests were limited and unique, an odd assortment of activities. He wasn't like anybody else and he knew it from the beginning. Nobody wanted to believe him when he said that he was different, and all they ever said back was "everybody's different." He knew that no one was the same as any other person: that's common knowledge. But he also knew that society has an average quota, and he was one of the lucky people to be as far away from the "norm" as possible. He hated anything normal or relatively close to the status quo.

In Ran's mom's town, everyone was either rich, good-looking, or both. In the inner city where his dad lived, everyone was poor, ugly, or completely average with the rare, potentially good-looking person. He didn't like it in either place and always felt like he didn't belong, even though it's where he was born.

He shook his head free of thought and decided to go on instinct. The children of the school to which the playground belonged were still in their classes, so Ran decided to take advantage of the time to play around on the large castle-like wooden structure. He did all he could think of on the monkey bars and didn't much like the slides, and after a while he grabbed his bag and went over to the swing set. He set it next to a post and began to swing, higher and higher, until the only thing he could feel was the wind in his face and hair and the chains chafing his hands.

When he had reached the maximum height the swing would allow, Ran looked out over the playground and admired its magnitude. The second time he reached the peak, he noticed something moving under the castle in the dungeon-like tunnels beneath. He slowed his swing and eventually walked over to the structure, bag in hand, and peered between the cracks in the boards. A quick shadow passed over the crack, and Ran stepped backward before going around the wall and bending down to slowly walk under the woodwork. It was like a miniature maze built on top of mulch; there were many blind spots due to the shape of the walls. He sat on a horizontal tire-swing that was built into the ceiling and looked up, through a small tunnel of tires at a bright blue sky that remained dormant. A small black shadow whizzed over the top, and Ran let out a small gasp. He ran out from under the structure and bolted up the wooden stairs to where the opening of the tire tunnel was. He looked around, even down the nearby slide and found nothing. He peered down into the tires and stuck his head deep within.

"Hello?" he asked with a declining tone, trying to get the shadow's attention.

Suddenly he felt a tiny shove on his backside.

"Ahh!" he shouted. The push was just enough to send him falling into the tunnel, backpack and all.


	2. 01 Chapter 1

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Chapter 1**

The fall was brief: a tumble not worth taking. Ran could feel the parts of him that would have hit the ground aching with fear and bruising. His eyes were closed, but his senses worked just fine. The mulch beneath him was cold and a few of the wood pieces were a bit sharp, while mostly soggy from the melting snow. A sweet smell lingered in the air, though it felt insignificant to the screaming silence in his ears. He could taste blood in his mouth: while delicious, he knew it meant that something was cut and he tried to lift an arm to put a finger to his lips. As his eyes gently opened he could see much blue, green, and white; the sun in the bright blue sky was pouring down upon him and the forestial scene around him onto which he'd fallen.

Suddenly his eyes shot open and he sat up, furiously looking around. He wasn't at the park anymore. He was in a freshly mowed clearing in the center of a wooded area. There was a small pond near the edge of the clearing with fish jumping out in curved patterns. They seemed to be rejoicing for something, Ran thought. He double-checked his body, and as it turned out, he'd taken the fall too seriously. His body and clothes appeared completely fine, save for a few grass and mulch stains on his jeans. He looked at the ground below and realized that he was laying in a round patch of mulch that seemed to have just been laid out. He looked for his backpack and saw that it had landed beside him just outside of the woodchips.

He rolled off the patch and searched through his bag for a water bottle, when he quickly came to find that his bag was empty.

"Ah!" Ran gasped, then looked around again. He concentrated on the fish. Squinting his eyes, he could barely see that the fish were much larger than he'd originally thought. He stood and began to walk closer to the pond, and soon he was standing on the edge, watching the bright red-orange fish soar out of the water in their rounded pattern. Ran couldn't believe what he was witnessing. He knew what these fish were! But his mind was holding him from his desire to remember. He tapped his head and squeezed his eyes shut, trying so desperately to recall where he'd seen them before.

"Are you okay?" a deep voice from behind him startled him, sending him falling into the pond. He splashed around and pulled himself out of the water with the help of a hand on his shoulder. Ran looked up at the strange person's face.

It was a large man dressed in a hiker's uniform, complete with a cane. He had an enormous and friendly smile, and Ran stood and fiddled his wet clothing.

"You should be more careful, little boy," the man said, patting Ran on the shoulder. "There might be some dangerous pokémon in that water."

"Pokémon?!" Ran shouted, whipping around and staring at the fish. "Are those Magikarp?" he asked, his eyes open wide with shock.

The man laughed.

"You appear almost old enough to get a pokémon from Professor Catalpa, yet you hardly know of the most basic pokémon?"

I look almost ten? Ran thought, looking down at himself.

"You'd better get studying, young man," the man chuckled, turning away and heading toward a small wooden cabin that Ran hadn't noticed before.

Ran realized that his clothing was feeling quite a bit longer than he remembered, and he pulled the wet collar away from his neck. He looked down and saw that his physique appeared to have gone back in time to when he was ten years old!

"Sir!" Ran shouted to the man, who in reaction turned around. Ran made his way over to him and looked up at the towering hiker. "Could you please tell me where I am? I'm lost... I just kinda... woke up there in that patch of mulch." He pointed to the ground near his bag.

The man's eyes followed Ran's finger. When they hit the mulch, his smile changed to a frown.

"I'm terribly sorry, young man." He sighed. "Grab your bag and come on inside. I'll explain what I can." He turned around and continued on his way to the cabin.

Ran immediately hurried for his pack and back toward the cabin. He peered in a window and saw that the man was hugging his wife gleefully and patting a boy, around the age of ten, on the back. He reached for the doorknob and pulled it open quietly, and the family turned to look at him.

The man began to introduce him. "Kliss, Sen, this is--"

"Ran," Ran interrupted.

"Ran," the man repeated. "He came from the mulch in the clearing."

His wife and son's faces suddenly became worried, and the boy, Sen, asked "Is he going to hurt us?"

The man began to laugh.

"Sen, don't be silly, boy! This had to be the work of the divine Giratina or Palkia!"

Ran's eyebrows twitched.

"Giratina or Palkia?" he asked. "Are you kidding?"

The man looked down at him.

"Ah, so you know of them?"

"Yes, why?"

The man scratched his scruffy beard.

"Nothing, it is just strange for someone from another world to know of our world's deities."

"Deities?" Ran scoffed.

"Gods," Kliss said. "They are but two of the many legendary pokémon that protect all us people beneath the sky."

Ran scratched his eyes with damp fingers.

"I know that, it's just... I never thought that anyone would consider them a good thing. I mean, in my world-- I guess-- they are known for causing more havoc than bliss. And they're only characters in a video game, anyway!"

The family stared at him with a terrified look that fused itself with surprise.

Kliss wiped her apron.

"If you would like to," she smiled, "you may stay for supper. We're having fried Goldeen and rice."

"And you can tell us about your world!" Sen shouted excitedly. "And Mom's making Chilan pie for dessert!"

Ran smiled and nodded.

"I'd be very grateful," he said. "Maybe you--"

He looked at the man.

"Jorge," he said.

"Thank you," Ran replied, "Maybe Jorge can explain what he was talking about when he mentioned Giratina and Palkia."

Jorge took off his hat and placed it and his cane on the hat wrack.

"Of course, boy. That information should be crucial to you."

Ran smiled again and was quickly forced into Sen's bedroom to explain about his home world.


	3. 02 Chapter 2

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Chapter 2**

The dinner table was set with plates of large portions of Goldeen meat and rice. The smell of a sweet-scented pie lingered throughout the house, keeping warm in the oven and just waiting to be eaten. Ran was delighted to experience his first taste of food from another world and began immediately after he and the family had thanked the Legendary Pokémon for bestowing upon them the ability to make such wonderful food.

"This is delicious!" Ran exclaimed. "I've never eaten anything like this before!"

Jorge let out a deep, jolly laugh.

"Of course not, boy! No pleasures of this world where you come from, eh? Haha!"

Ran swallowed and chuckled.

"Well, we do have rice and fish in my world. I've just never experienced fish this delicious before!"

"That's because the school of Goldeen we are eating had lived fulfilling lives," Kliss commented.

Ran looked at her. "They what?" he said in a flat tone.

She giggled and explained, "Well, those Goldeen were bred in captivity, here on our property, ever since I was a young newly-wed."

"What a beautiful lass she was, too," Jorge smiled.

"Jorge, please." Kliss blushed and continued with her story for Ran.

"After Jorge and I got married, we travelled as far as we could, just to find the perfect place to raise a family and make something of our lives. Before we were wed, I was a Pokémon Coordinator: someone who shows off the beauty, intelligence, coolness, toughness, or cuteness of their pokémon to try to win ribbons-- which is harder than it sounds, by the way."

Ran smiled. He knew of Pokémon Coordinators; he'd tried to be one in his video games before.

"Anyway," Kliss continued, "We found this clearing soon after we'd left the city and fell in love with it. It seems perfect, doesn't it? Especially after it's just been mowed; I have my Rotom to thank for that. I'd entirely forgot about the lawn until now!"

She drew out a pokéball from a pocket in her dress and tossed it into the air beside her. The ball opened in mid-air and a white beam of light exited and took form as a small orange pokémon with cyan-coloured electricity sparking around it.

"Rotom, thank you for the job you did mowing the clearing," Kliss said, patting her pokémon on the side of its face. Ran gazed as she touched the sparks but remained completely unharmed.

"How do you do that?" Ran asked.

Kliss looked at him, then back at her pokémon. "It has trust for me, seeing as I've been it's trainer for many years now. It knows it doesn't need to hurt me."

Ran felt bewildered. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing-- and in another world, too!

Kliss's eyes shot open with realization and she smiled with embarrassment as she returned Rotom to its pokéball as a beam of red light. She tucked it away and apologized for going off topic, and Ran laughed, forgiving her.

"Where was I?" she wondered out loud, and Sen reminded her.

"You were at the part where you found this place and loved it when the grass was cut!"

Everyone but Sen burst out laughing. He looked around in confusion.

Kliss, once again, continued with her story.

"Right! Back when we'd found this place, we were fascinated by the scenery. Not long after we'd arrived, our home was built with the help of our pokémon. Now, I've always loved plants. That's the reason most of my pokémon are of the Grass-type. So, Jorge and I decided that, for a living, we would harvest berries of all kinds here in our portion of the woods."

Ran looked confused.

"But... I didn't see any berry plants when I woke up."

"That's because they're hidden by the forestry. We don't like pesky trainers taking our crops for fun, only to have their pokémon use Fling at our home. Too many times that's happened for me to let it happen again!" Jorge added passionately.

"Okay..." Ran said, "But having a berry orchard doesn't really explain why the Goldeen we've been eating had a good life."  
"Oh, yes!" Kliss sounded very forgetful. "So! After a few months of being settled into our new home with our pokémon, Jorge's Seaking became very ill just after she'd laid an egg in the pond. Not wanting to watch her suffer, we soon had to have her killed, the poor thing."

Jorge, not wanting to talk about it much anymore, decided to finish the story quickly.

"Since then I've raised that Goldeen egg into a fresh, new Seaking that's been laying eggs for the purpose of our consumption, but only after we feel they've had a wonderful year of life. Those Goldeen are the reason I warned you to stay out of the water earlier. Their horns are very dangerous."

Ran smiled, then asked, "Why only a year?"

Kliss explained, "After a year, the pokémon start to really gain an appreciation for life. Our pokémon all have learned to love life as they live it, and to fulfill the purpose for which we've brought them into this world. You see?"

Ran nodded.

"That makes sense, I guess. In my world, there's great controversy over that sorta thing. Kinda like that, but with human babies, and instead of food it's for stem-cell research to find cures for diseases. Lots of arguments over that general thing. I'm all for it, though, if it's to further better society. People are so blind where I'm from!"

It quieted down after that conversation for about five minutes, then Sen cleared the table with Kliss to make room for the Chilan pie. Jorge pulled Ran aside to his lounge where they discussed the Giratina-Palkia situation.

"You see," Jorge began, "Giratina is the ruler of the Torn World. It has the power to cross through dimensions. Palkia, on the other hand, is the Legendary pokémon of space. It, too, has the power to cross dimensions. It is my suspicion that you have been brought here by one of them with a purpose. A destiny. But that's just one old man's blubbering!" he laughed.

Ran was expressionless for a moment, then asked, "Has this ever happened before? And what was so important with the mulch in the clearing? It was the only one I saw."

Jorge rubbed his chin.

"This has happened once before. Long, long ago, certainly before I was born. In fact, there is one famous person in this region who is a descendant of the last person to have arrived like this. Her name is Professor Catalpa, the pokémon authority of this region."

He paused.

"As for the mulch in the clearing... That is where the first dimension-crosser came through, too. We've never touched that mulch because we are afraid it might change something vital in existence. But who knows, really."

Kliss and Sen called for the two of them from the dining room, exclaiming that the pie was ready. Ran and Jorge headed in and sat in their places, a big, fresh piece of sweet pie waiting on their plates.

"Miltank gave us some delicious ice cream this time, Jorge," Kliss said, scooping the frozen dessert onto her pastry from a small tub. She passed it to Ran and asked if he'd like to try-- and he most certainly did-- so he scooped some onto his piece as well. The others did the same, and he sunk his fork into his food. It was the absolute best pie he'd ever had in his entire life! Then again, he never really liked pie. But this pie was scrumptious. The ice cream tasted even better than the vanilla-flavoured stuff from his world!

"Compliments to the chef!" Ran shouted gleefully as he dug into his pie some more. Everyone raised a hand and cried 'Cheers!'


	4. 03 Chapter 3

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Chapter 3**

That night Ran hadn't slept much. He tossed and turned, and his brain didn't seem to want to shut off. Maybe it was the fact that his pajamas weren't his own, or maybe it was the heat in Sen's room. Then again, it might have been because Sen was a snorer who moved a lot in his sleep. Whatever the problem, Ran couldn't help but think he was forgetting about something from his old world. He tried to remember, but he just couldn't do it. The more he thought about it, the more he seemed to forget about his own world. He was worried that he might completely forget what his old world was like, and he shifted all through the night in fear and dismay.

***********************************************************************************

About a week had passed by the time Ran was told that he and Sen were to travel with Jorge to the nearest village, Leafresh Town, to obtain their first pokémon and begin a journey of their own. Through the week Ran learned many things, such as the name of the region, Lykos, and Professor Catalpa's first name, Leanne. He was overjoyed to learn that he'd be out on his own with a pokémon partner to explore this strange new realm. His excitement caught the attention of Sen, who stood next to him as Kliss packed them each a lunch in their backpacks. Sen asked Ran what had gotten him so anxious, and Ran couldn't help but answer.

"Nothing," he said, "it's just that... In my old world, I was almost eighteen years old and I seemed to have no future. I barely had a present. I'm super-excited to hear that I'll now have the chance to live my life the way I want to, and to the fullest that I possibly can!" His heart jumped with joy and he couldn't take the smile off his face.

Sen continued looking at him, feeling little more than jealousy and contentment. He was about to go on his own journey, too, so there wasn't much more to be jealous of than Ran's yearly experience.

Soon they'd been given their bags and sent outside to wait for Jorge to finish repairing the roof with Kliss's Shiftry and Roserade. He climbed down the ladder and wiped his forehead with the back of his arm.

"Woo, boy!" Jorge exclaimed. "That there was some hot work. This sun is just beating down!" He picked up his nearby hiking bags and piled them onto his back, calling to Kliss and shooing the boys out of the clearing and onto the path to Leafresh Town.

It was all happening so fast for Ran. He'd been there longer than he'd thought he would, yet the time it took to start his life anew was so short. Life back in his home world seemed like a distant dream now. He wondered how his family was doing without him.

About an hour went by before Jorge stopped in his tracks and held out his arms for the boys to stop, too. He pointed to the brush beside the path up ahead and whispered, "Stay back, just in case."

Ran and Sen watched as a mother Ursaring and her two cubs hobbled out of the bushes and onto the dirt path. The Ursaring looked wounded, as it was limping on all fours. Very quickly, it whipped its around to face Jorge and it tried to stand on its hind legs, but the wound in its neck bled out, causing her to fall over and die almost instantly. The two Teddiursa whimpered and prodded their mother's corpse, willing her to get up.

Sen's eyes filled with tears, and Ran could hear him sniffling-- holding them back as hard as he could. Ran looked up at Jorge, who still had his arms outstretched to protect the boys; he had a very stern look on his face. Step by step, he slowly made his way over to the Teddiursa cubs and sat down beside the dead Ursaring. From his pocket he drew out two Pecha berries and held them out for the babies to take. They each cautiously looked up at Jorge's calmly expressed face and sniffed at the berries. Eventually they decided that this was a friend and not a foe, and accepted the berries, sitting on Jorge's lap and eating them softly. Jorge slowly wrapped his arms around the Teddiursa and whispered for the boys to come over, but not too quickly. When they each reached one of Jorge's sides, he patted the Teddiursa and told the boys to do the same.

Their fur was so soft, Ran thought, and the babies looked up and him and Sen. They seemed to be okay with being patted, but soon grew a bit worrisome and hopped off Jorge's lap. They began to ran around a large tree and scratched at it as they called to each other. Jorge explained that they were trying to call the boys over to play with them, and said it was a good opportunity for him to bury their poor mother. Ran looked at Sen, who was already walking over to the pokémon. He followed, and soon found himself playing hide-and-seek with the playful teddies. It surprised him just how well they could hide in the nearby bushes.

It was a long while before Jorge had called to them, but the boys left the Teddiursa and headed back to Sen's father.

"Had enough fun?" he asked contently, wiping his forehead with the towel he carried around his neck.

Sen nodded, "Yup!" and Ran kept his face in the direction of the pokémon. Sen tapped him on the shoulder and he whipped his head around. He looked up at Jorge and asked if it was time for lunch yet.

The leftover-Goldeen meat sandwich was delicious. Ran zipped up his pack after he gulped down a mouthful of bottled water and stood, ready to depart from their location once again. The others had just finished their food as well, and started on their way down the path.

The hour seemed to pass by endlessly, but the quiet buzzing of the uphill forest was soothing. The temperature seemed just right for such a hike, and it felt good to get some exercise.

Sen yawned many times in a short period, and Ran gave him a dirty look.

"What?" Sen asked, confused.

"I haven't had a lot of--" Ran thought for a second. "Never mind. It's not important." He turned his head to the adjacent side of the path and admired the beautiful yellow-green foliage. The sun was piercing through the treetops, letting in only rays of light to illuminate the path. Ran thought it was one of the most angelic sites he'd ever laid eyes on.

Moments later the beauty was torn when a wild Venomoth fluttered down from the trees ahead to sprinkle down blue-white dust upon them and fly away again.

"Don't breathe in!" Jorge ordered immediately, covering his mouth and nose with one hand while he quickly blocked Sen's with his other. It was too late for Ran, though. He'd already inhaled it, not knowing the dangers of a Venomoth's powder. The beams of light faded away, and soon everything else in sight did, too.


	5. 04 Chapter 4

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Chapter 4**

"Augh, what happened?" Ran asked as his eyes adjusted to the light. He sat up with his head in his hand and looked around. Sen was looking at him from a chair at the end of the bed. His face lit up when he saw that Ran was okay. Jorge walked in the room with two bottles of water and a large smile on his face. He noted how glad he was that Ran was finally awake and handed the boys the bottles. Ran drank the whole bottle before asking where they were.

"A Pokémon Center," Sen said.

"In Leafresh Town," Jorge added. "We're in the human wing. You really hit your head when you fell asleep!" He laughed. "At least you slept well through the night. Boy, I never thought you'd just stare at that Venomoth as it poured its dust on you! What were you thinkin'?"

Ran shook his head and thought for a second. He remembered how beautiful the sun through the trees was, and the sparkling blue-white of the dust.

"I just..." he paused. "There are no bugs that big in my old world. I guess I was just shocked by its size." He was lying. He knew what kind of creatures were in this world and had expected them to make an appearance at one point or another.

Jorge laughed again.

"Well, boy, you're gunna have to get used to those kinds of pokémon. There are many that are much bigger than that in this world!"

Sen asked his father, "What move did Venomoth use? Was it Sleep Powder or Stun Spore?" Suddenly he looked worriedly at Ran. "Was it Poisonpowder?!"

"Sen, don't get the boy scared." Jorge faced Ran and explained that Venomoth's Sleep Powder had merely knocked him unconscious upon his breathing it in. He told him to remember that Sleep Powder was a soft bluish-white colour and shouldn't be inhaled if he wanted to remain awake.

Ran told them that he was fine now and asked if they could continue where they were going the previous day.

He, Jorge and Sen were soon on their way to the Pokémon Laboratory, owned by none other than Professor Leanne Catalpa. When they'd arrived at the property, Ran and Sen rushed themselves to the front door and both knocked with enthusiasm. Nobody answered the door for almost one whole minute, and the boys became very impatient.

"Maybe there's nobody here," Sen suggested, discouraged.

"Don't worry," Jorge said comfortingly as he came up the stairs behind them and knocked even harder than the boys. "She's probably just busy. Maybe one of her interns will answer."

A moment after he'd said this, the door began to open. A girl, about Sen's age and holding a Shinx, stepped in front of the door.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

Sen bowed his head and blushed. "We're here to receive our starting pokémon, ma'am."

Ran looked up at Jorge, who shrugged in response.

The little girl giggled and pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose.

"Mom's out studying the pokémon of Route One, but I'll take you to her if you'd like."

"A fine idea!" Jorge exclaimed as he turned and held his hands out toward the staircase. "Lead the way, m'lady!"

She shut the door behind her and patted her Shinx as she walked gracefully down the marble stairs. Sen admired her soft brown hair and he liked that her bangs were tied at the back. Her white coat seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. He could feel the heat in his face while he thought about how cute her glasses made her eyes look.

"Sen, are you coming or not?!" Ran shouted from the end of the property. "What's taking you?!"

Sen snapped out of his daze and shouted "Coming!" before running down the steps and catching up with the group.

It was a short walk to the edge of the town from the lab. They found the professor hidden behind a bush with binoculars and staring at a wild Taillow in a tree.

"Fascinating..." she whispered to herself dreamily.

"Hey, Mom!" the little girl shouted, resulting in the Taillow fleeing into the air and Professor Catalpa jumping to her feet, screaming in surprise.

"Mom," the girl continued, "these boys would like to receive their first pokémon. Do you have them with you?"

"I think so... Where'd they go to..." the professor mumbled as she looked all around the hedge. "Hm... I'm pretty sure I had it with me..." She stuck her arm in the brush and pulled out a suitcase. "Victory!" she exclaimed proudly.

The little girl scratched her head and let her Shinx down. She turned to Ran, Sen and Jorge and apologized for her mother's insanity. Suddenly she gasped.

"I completely forgot to introduce myself! I am Mika Catalpa, daughter of Professor Leanne Catalpa." She bowed and pushed her glasses back onto her nose.

Professor Catalpa wiped patted Mika's head and told her not to be so formal. The professor didn't look to be a woman with great formality to her, with long, dyed forest-green hair and dirt stains on her beige pants.

"You'll have to excuse the fact that Chimchar is currently unavailable," she said. "I've only just returned yesterday from Glewon City, where a young girl your age had given such an incredible performance of acting that I rewarded her efforts with one of the beginners' pokémon." Ran and Sen didn't look as though they had a problem with this, and she also told them that the girl had also just come of age to receive it, making it legal for the professor to give her one. "You'll have to choose between my Piplup and Turtwig," she said.

Sen scratched his short blond hair. "Um, could we see them and then decide?" he asked.

Jorge and Professor Catalpa laughed. She opened the suitcase and it revealed two pokéballs and an empty hole where the third would have been. She passed one to each of them and explained that they should send them out instead, to get their first real feel for being a pokémon trainer. Ran couldn't quite remember from his past world how he should do this, and just before Sen got to explain a loud shouting noise interrupted him.

A short distance down the path, a man and woman dressed in black clothing with what looked like crystal armor on each joint were addressing them. Their lower faces were covered by half-masks that had the appearance of ice.

"Who is that?" Professor Catalpa called to the couple, who ran straight for them in response and sent out three pokémon to block the way back to Leafresh Town.

A small Eevee growled softly as its fur stood on the back of its neck; a Porygon shifted its polygonal parts, trying to psyche Ran's group out; a jagged red stripe hovered in place and soon revealed itself as a Kecleon with a long, uncurling tongue. The couple stood on the opposite side of the group and introduced themselves as members of Team Prism and demanded that the professor give them the three beginner pokémon immediately.

"No harm will come to those who cooperate," the man said monotonously.

Jorge stood between the couple and the professor and dared them to try anything nasty. The couple shrugged and commanded their pokémon to attack.

On instinct, Ran sent out his mystery pokémon, Piplup, and Sen sent out his Turtwig. Mika readied her Shinx and encouraged it by saying "We can do this, no problem!"

Sen called for Turtwig to use Tackle against Porygon, and it rammed its entirety into the enemy pokémon, knocking it backward.

Ran told Piplup to use its Pound attack, and it threw its little hand into the opponent's forward-moving Eevee, causing more than usual damage to the foe. Eevee yelped as it hit the ground.

Mika had already gotten Shinx to Tackle the Kecleon, who had tried to vanish. Shinx could easily see through its camouflage attempt and directly smashed into its red stripe. The pokémon's skin changed back to normal as it got back to its feet.

Professor Catalpa had her back to Jorge's as she watched the children's first battle. "Do you think we should do something about this?" she whispered.

Jorge didn't move, but replied but telling her that they had to learn sometime and that now was as good as any other. Hesitantly, the professor agreed and held her suitcase and binoculars firmly in her arms.

Eevee fell back against Porygon and Kecleon. The pokémon were covered in bruises and dirt. Ran, Sen and Mika shouted for their pokémon to attack, and the three of them rammed the foes from the opposite side, launching them toward their oddly-dressed trainers. The masked couple returned their pokémon and cursed as they retreated back into the trees of Route One.

Ran and Sen returned the appropriate pokémon and looked at each other and Mika with smiles and cheers all around. Professor Catalpa jumped up and down with joy, grasping her daughter's hands. Jorge picked the boys up in his massive arms and asked them what it felt like to win their first battle.

Sen laughed. "That was fun! Can we do it again soon?"

Ran rolled his eyes and smiled.

Mika picked up her Shinx and rubbed its head. She took out an Oran berry and held it as her pokémon took small bites from it.

"You'll be fine," she giggled.

When things had calmed down a little, Professor Catalpa drew three watches from her long, lab coat pockets. She gave each child one with a corresponding colour: Ran received a blue one; Sen, a green one; Mika, yellow.

"The red one was for whoever was given Chimchar," the professor explained. "These are called Pokétches, version two-point-oh. They are highly advanced versions of the regular Pokétches. With many applications for you kids to buy, it will certainly be a big help on your travels." She rubbed her chin and smiled. "But don't think I'm giving you any of those immature apps! I've already programmed for you the Map application, the new PokéDex application, and the new Storage Check application.

"With the Map application you can see where you are and where you've been, as indicated by the different coloured markers on the screen. And when you push the button underneath the screen..." she gently tapped on Mika's watch, "it switches to the next application.

"The PokéDex app is an important one for you, as well as myself. Any time it senses a wild pokémon in the vicinity, it uploads information. But when you actually catch the pokémon, it gains all information that's ever been documented about the pokémon and even sends it to me on my computer!"

She began pacing back and forth beside Jorge.

"Then there's the Storage Check application. Because we still have yet to make a portable-- and legal-- pokémon storage system, I've helped to develop the Storage Check. It allows you to see any pokémon you may have that have been transported to my lab. At any Pokémon Center, remember, you can receive your desired pokémon via PC. Do not forget this!"

And with that, Professor Catalpa and Jorge wished them luck on their journey, Jorge traded Sen one bag for another that was full of supplies, and the adults were soon headed on their way to Leafresh and back to their homes.

Ran looked at Sen and Mika and adjusted his own backpack.

"Well, guys. Looks like we're on our own from here, eh?"

"Not necessarily." Mika added, and her Shinx mewed as it jumped down to the ground. "We've got our pokémon!"

Sen took out his pokéball. "Oh, yeah! Come on out, Turtwig!" he shouted, freeing his pokémon from its spherical binds.

Ran did the same with Piplup and the six of them walked onward. Not just to the next town, but to their future as pokémon trainers.


	6. 05 Chapter 5

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Chapter 5**

It was nightfall by the time Ran, Sen and Mika decided to set up their camp for the night. Sen unloaded his backpack and looked around for a comfortable place to put his sleeping bag. Ran laid his out on a flat plot near the fireplace they'd built earlier and Mika, the boys noticed, just fiddled with the yellow Pokétch on her wrist.

"Um, Mika?" Sen said, "Aren't you gunna lay out your sleeping bag?"

"That's what I'm looking for!" Mika exclaimed, still looking at her watch and pushing its small buttons.

Sen looked around and realized that Mika hadn't brought a pack or even food. Ran stared at her watch as she finally shouted "Here we are!" and pressed a button, causing a small holographic sleeping bag to appear above her watch. She pressed another button and the orange item took form physically in front of her. She carefully laid it out and retrieved a pillow from her Pokétch as well.

Sen began fiddling with his watch.

"Your mom can't figure out how to make a portable storage system for pokémon but she can make a portable item container?!" Ran didn't understand her logic at all.

Mika pointed her index finger to the sky, as if to be factual, and simply stated "My mother fully believes in priority. Traveling with helpful items like a first-aid kit is better than traveling with a pokémon, priority-wise." She paused and giggled. "Also, she hasn't figured out how to store life forms in a portable device."

Ran sighed, and Sen asked her why his Pokétch didn't have the Item Storage feature, too. She explained that as the professor's daughter, she got a few more perks than they did as a beginning trainer.

Sen began to complain at this, but Mika quickly shut him up by asking if he knew how to make tea using berries. A smile took over his face and he said "I love making tea! Have any Oran berries?"

Finding three Oran berries from her watch, she also withdrew a pot. She asked Ran if his Piplup could fill the pot with water while Shinx worked on the fire. Sen and Turtwig gathered decent amounts of firewood for the night and Shinx started to crackle electricity along its paw. Soon they'd ignited a nice fire and had the water and Oran berries in the pot above it.

Mika commented on how well off Sen was if he were ever to be stuck in the wild. He claimed that he had a love for the woods and nature, and asked Ran if he would like one last battle of the day. Ran looked at Piplup, who seemed a bit tired from their training all day along the route, but Ran thought it might be good to get some practice on some actual trainers. He accepted, and the two stood and walked over to a clear spot with their pokémon; Mika, still stirring the warming tea, decided that she would referee from the fire.

"Trainers ready?" she called.

"Ready!" the boys answered.

"Battle: start!"

Turtwig began running toward Piplup and Sen called for a Tackle attack. It soon launched its body, but missed as Piplup moved to the side and attacked Turtwig's leg with Pound. The turtle pokémon grunted in pain and turned to Piplup again, this time with an I'll-get-you-this-time look on its face. Ran called for Piplup to use Bubble, and the tiny penguin opened its mouth to fire several blue orbs at Turtwig. Turtwig withdrew most of its body into its shell and spun out of the way, and as it stopped spinning it launched many leaves from its forehead. Piplup shot bubbles at them, but the leaves sliced through them as though they were knives to warm butter. Piplup covered its face and soon was cut by the flurry of foliage. It fell backwards and was soon unconscious.

"Sen and Turtwig win!" Mika called out, pouring the tea into three cylindrical cups.

Ran walked over to his pokémon and picked it up. He cradled Piplup in his arms while he walked over to his sleeping back beside the fire and sat down. Mika tossed him a small, yellow, pill-like item. She told him to feed it to Piplup. He questioned this idea, but stuck the pill in his pokémon's beak anyway. Piplup opened its eyes and sat up.

"Lup?" it seemed to ask. Ran patted his pokémon and congratulated Sen as he sat on his sleeping bag with Turtwig. Sen thanked him and took a cup of tea from Mika. Ran accepted the tea as well and promised Sen that he'd get better at battling. Then Mika, sipping her tea, got an idea.

"Why don't you take the Pokémon League Challenge?"

Sen's eyes opened wide.

"Yeah, Ran! That'd really make your pokémon stronger, for sure!"

Ran asked about the details of the challenge. Mika fed their pokémon orange-coloured poffin and explained.

"The Lykos Pokémon League Challenge is a competition in which pokémon trainers from all over the Lykos region travel from coast to coast, battling and training their pokémon in order to defeat the eight gyms. When a trainer defeats a gym they get a badge which, once eight are collected, allows them to compete in the Lykos League in Mordream City. That's where the real competition begins."

Ran and Sen were drinking their tea and listening intently. They couldn't help but think of how informative Mika was.

She continued, "Once the trainer is accepted into the Lykos League, they compete against a set of highly skilled trainers known as the Elite Four. If you manage to get past them, there's still the League Champion. Once you've defeated her, you're considered a League Champion, too, but without the job. It's basically for bragging rights, but the few who've become a League Champion all went on to get amazingly well-paying jobs somewhere."

Sen added, "I hear the Gym Leaders, Elite Four members and the Champion all gave themselves fake names to go by while they are considered the opponent of that area. The first one is Griff, I think."

Ran seemed confused and he and Sen passed their empty cups back to Mika.

Mika laughed.

"Her name is Glith, Sen. It's an anagram for Light. I'm guessing she's an Electric-type Gym Leader, which is bad for you, Ran!"

He sighed.

"Of course it is. I'll have to get training again soon, then, won't I?"

Sen giggled, "Yup."

Mika yawned something that sounded sort of like "Good luck" but Ran couldn't be sure. The three of them got in their sleeping bags and Ran had Piplup put out the fire. Everyone was soon asleep. Everyone but Ran.

*************************************************************

A few hours passed by and Ran still couldn't sleep. He kept thinking that he was forgetting something, somewhere. It irritated him to feel the need to remember something this desperately and to have no progress whatsoever.

_I know there's something I've gotta remember,_ he thought to himself. _I'll remember it soon. I hope._

It seemed like hours later before he fell asleep. Realistically, it was about fifteen minutes.

*************************************************************

The next morning the group could hear crunching sounds coming from nearby as they awoke. Ran and Mika rubbed their eyes and Sen soon shouted that something was in his backpack. Mika put on her glasses and the three of them stood over Sen's pack. It wriggled and munched, and soon cooed softly. Sen opened the top of his bag and a light brown and fuzzy head popped out, covered in honey and berry juices.

It was a Teddiursa, and Sen recognized it as the same one from a few days back. Ran asked him how he knew that and Sen told him that this one cooed like that after it had eaten a berry then, too. The other baby Teddiursa hadn't, and he just guessed that it was this one's love for berries that made it nostalgic. Sen picked up the teddy and wiped its face with his hand. The pokémon wiped its hand on his face, imitating him, and quickly cuddled up to him.

Mika's eyes were huge.

"That is so cute!" she shouted, her arms wrapped around herself. She picked up her Shinx and hugged it the same way. "I love you, my adorable Shinx!"

Shinx purred.

"Shaa!" it said happily.

Ran looked down at Piplup and Turtwig. Turtwig was looking a bit jealous, and Ran patted the two of them on the head.

"No worries," he said comfortingly, "You guys are our beginning pokémon. There's no way we'd ever have a pokémon that was closer to our hearts than you two."

The two pokémon smiled and rubbed themselves against their trainers.

"Alright!" Sen shouted after a few moments. "Enough cuddling. I say it's about time we headed to the next town!"

Mika and Ran agreed. The three of them returned their pokémon and began packing.

Once they'd finished packing and headed down the path again, Ran mentioned how he'd been able to hear sounds that weren't very natural.

About ten minutes later they'd found themselves at a sign that welcomed them to its town: Persevaid Town. The three trainers sighed and Mika began cursing about bugs and grass stains. This kept Ran happy for a while until they'd reached a Pokémon Center.

*************************************************************

More time had passed as Sen spoke on the phone to his father. He hadn't even noticed that the others left to do their own thing a while back. Jorge was busy explaining to him how the Teddiursa is definitely the same one from the other night.

"You'll never believe who followed us to Route One," Jorge said sarcastically, pulling his own Teddiursa onto the videophone's screen. It waved at its sibling on Sen's lap and Sen's Teddiursa cooed as it stood on his knee and waved back.

"Why did they follow us?" Sen asked.

Jorge patted his pokémon's head.

"Do you really have to ask that question, son?"

Sen thought about it for a minute. He remembered watching as a mother Ursaring fell to the ground and bled to death, leaving her babies behind, alone, in this world.

"No," Sen replied.

Just then he heard the Pokémon Center doors open and Mika was talking seemingly to no one. He turned around and saw that she was speaking into her Pokétch , which spoke back with the sound of Professor Catalpa's voice. Soon Mika thanked the watch and pressed a button, ending her conversation. She looked at Sen's puzzled face, then at the videophone screen.

"You haven't told him other features of the Pokétch v.2.0 yet?" Jorge asked.

Mika shook her head and started to explain as Jorge and his Teddiursa said good-bye and hung up.

"The Pokétch v.2.0 has many new applications that the old Pokétch did not. It's the latest in pokémon trainer technology, as you have to carry very little around with you when traveling. The app I was just using was called the Phone application. Pretty straight forward. Same thing with the Bank app, which I was using before I got here; I was just out shopping for necessary supplies with the money my mother sent me via Pokétch. Pretty cool, huh?" She raised her wrist and began fiddling again, then looked back at him. "I'm gunna go rent a book from the library over there. I'll be right back."

And with that, she left the building as Ran and another trainer walked in and stepped up to the main desk, asking for their pokémon to be healed. The nurse took their pokéballs and while the other trainer walked over to a seat Ran made his way over to Sen.

Sen had a confused look on his face.

"Did you know that Mika has two more apps that I didn't know of? The Bank and Phone applications?"

Ran laughed and only said that he'd expected such things from the daughter of a pokémon professor. He asked where she was and Sen explained, then the nurse called him over for his healed Piplup.

"Thank you," he said as he placed his pokéball on his belt and looked out the glass doors. He could see Mika returning with her nose stuck in a book.

Looking at Sen again, he said "I guess that's why she's so smart when it comes to pokémon. Non-stop studying."

Sen scoffed, "That and her mother."

They giggled and they hushed themselves as she approached.

"Ready to go?" she asked, closing her book. Ran noticed it was titled _Pokémon: They're People, Too_. She poked at her watch and the book soon vanished.

"Yeah, let's hurry and get to Galvol City. I'm dying to train again," Ran said.

Mika nodded, Sen stood, and the three of them walked out of the Pokémon Center and on their way to Route Two: the only thing between them and Galvol City.


	7. 06 Chapter 6

**Pokémaniacal~!**

**Chapter 6**

The hours passed by as Ran, Sen and Mika made their way to Galvol City, training and studying along the way. The sky was fading from deep orange to purple-black and the clouds were so thick they covered almost the entire sky, leaving but a patch of stars to shine through. The moon's glow was still visible through the cloud cover, revealing no less than a radiant, crescent-shaped silhouette, pleasantly disturbing the blank canvas of grey.

Ran and Sen had just finished a battle and were making their way over to Mika and their fire pit. She was reading the book she'd borrowed from the Pokémon Center's library, _Pokémon: They're People, Too_, with Shinx on her lap eating a berry it had stolen from a wild Wurmple during training earlier that day.

Mika shifted her glasses.

"Did you know that there are several different kinds of Shellos and Gastrodon, depending on where they live? They've found two more kinds in the Northern and Southern oceans, and they're already being hunted! That's so cruel!"

Her voice was jubilant with intrigue, but Ran just couldn't find it within him to even pretend to know what Mika was talking about. Sen's eyes were wide, and he sat down, wanting to learn more.

Ran rolled his eyes as the others filled their heads with new knowledge of the world they live in. He decided it was time for him to sleep, seeing as it was just now dark and an old saying was ringing through his head: "Early to bed, early to rise make's a healthy, wealthy, and wise." He rolled out a sleeping bag, and the mini sleeping bag for Piplup he'd bought in Persevaid Town, before wrapping himself tightly within his own and soon falling asleep with thoughts of glory bounding around his mind.

Sen soon followed suit, but Mika was so into her book that she ended up staying up most of the night reading while everyone else slept peacefully.

******************************************************************************

"Good morning!"

Ran shifted in his sleeping bag. He heard Sen do the same, then Mika's voice chimed.

"Ran, Sen! You guys should wake up now, people are here and they want to challenge us."

Ran jumped to his feet and readied himself for battle as though it were instinct. Mika poked at Sen with her foot, but all he did was grumble something inaudible and turn over.

The couple Mika was talking about were already standing at the other end of the clearing. They were tightly grasping each other's hand, sending the message that they were in love.

"I guess it'll have to be us then, Ran," Mika said worriedly.

Ran nodded and motioned to Piplup, who'd been awake for a few hours already. The tiny penguin walked out into the field and prepared itself for battle, followed by Mika's Shinx, who seemed to be radiating confidence. The opposing trainers threw their pokéballs, which opened to reveal a burst of black smoke from one and white smoke from the other.

Mika whispered to herself.

"Seals."

Ran looked at her, confused.

"Seals," she repeated. "They are stickers you put on your pokéballs that give it an effect as you send out your pokémon. They're mostly for Pokémon Contests, but are sometimes handy at the beginning of a battle. Watch out."

Ran focused on the field now, and the smoke was lingering; black smoke drifted along the ground, while the thick white smoke covered the air. Ran and Mika could hear their foes commands.

"Poison Sting!" the two trainers called at once from across the field.

Ran couldn't think. What moves would help him out of this situation? He looked at Mika. She had the exact expression on her face that he was feeling. They were in trouble.

Suddenly, bubbles shot through the top of the smoke, slightly lifting it as tufts of cloud rolled upward. Sparks began to dance around inside the smoke, crackling and snapping, clearing it away. When it was just thin enough to see the opponents' moving silhouettes, Ran and Mika called out their attacks.

"Piplup, use Bubble! Shinx, Charge your electricity!"

Piplup moved and stood in front of Shinx, who was now glowing bright yellow with sparks caressing its fur. Piplup began shooting bubbles from side to side, trying to prevent the foes from getting closer. They seemed to be around the same general size as Piplup and Shinx.

Before anyone could command their pokémon to attack, Shinx burst in front of Piplup and dashed toward the enemies' shadows with great speed, leaving a trail of bright light along its path. Mika gasped, and Ran wondered what it was trying to do. Without warning it launched itself at one shadow, covering itself with electricity as it leapt through the air, and smashed itself into the opponent's pokémon, knocking it away.

Ran and Mika heard one of the other trainers let out a yelp before returning their pokémon.

Again, without giving it a command, Shinx rammed its bolt-covered body against the other pokémon and knocked it out. The smoke seemed to be fully clear by now, and the male Nidoran was lying on the ground in front of its trainer. The female trainer had a cut on her arm from the previous pokémon, it seemed. Mika stared at her pokémon in wonder and amazement, and Ran knew she was thinking something was a bit weird.

The trainer couple congratulated Ran and Mika, gave them prize money, and left on their way in the opposite direction.

Ran looked at Mika.

"Are you as disturbed by that as I was?"

Mika didn't say anything. She just continued patting her Shinx with a stone-like expression on her face.

******************************************************************************

A few more hours had passed as the trainers made their way along the path to Galvol City, and they suddenly had to stop. Ran and Mika were looking up, and Sen followed with his eyes. Directly in front of them, completely blocking the entire width of the path, was an enormous, red-coloured tree.

Sen let out a yelp.

"That's really big!"

Mika ran toward the tree with a smile on her face.

"Let's go inside! I want to explore!"

_Inside?_ Ran thought to himself. Then he noticed a large, cave-like hole a few meters about the ground. He had the suspicion that once Mika wants to do something for knowledge, she won't stop, so he followed right behind her.

Sen was hesitant, but felt he couldn't just wait outside. What if he were attacked? Quickly, he made his way up to the cavernous hole and wandered inside with the others.

It was moist and sticky everywhere. Not a surprise to the group, as they were inside a tree, but it had a different texture than sap. More like...

"Honey!" Mika shouted, licking her fingers.

"Yes, darling?" Ran said jokingly, looking around in the darkness.

Sen laughed.

"No," she continued, "Honey. This isn't sap, it's honey! We must be in a hive!"

Sen stiffened.

"A-a... H-hive?" He slowly tried to turn around, but was grabbed at the collar and pulled deeper into the tree.

"No!" he whined, "I don't like Beedrill! They sting!"

Mika laughed and pulled out a flashlight from her pokétch. She examined the inside of the hive, admiring the structure of the honeycombs and the stored honey clusters. Eggs were tightly packed into honeycombs, protected by a layer of thin honey.

Ran leaned over and almost touched one, but Sen smacked his hand away, warning him not to touch anything. He was scared Beedrill would kill them if they didn't leave as soon as possible.

Mika finally turned around and told Sen that Beedrill don't make honey and that they're a different kind of bee pokémon. She knew this hive must belong to a colony of Combee.

Sen sighed heavily and scooped a handful of honey.

"Well, then," he said, licking it from his palm, "Can't let this opportunity go to waste."

Mika rolled her eyes and turned back around, realizing that they were entering a large room. She slowly moved her flashlight along the walls, examining the brilliant comb designs, before her light fell upon an enormous bee. Vespiquen.

The queen let out a roar-like sound that resonated throughout the hive, and in from several different holes in the wall came many Combee to her aide.

The group turned around and began to run out the way they came, but they heard Vespiquen order the other pokémon to do something. Mika turned around as what looked like the entire hive came flying toward them through the tunnel. Just as Sen and Ran jumped out of the honey-filled cave, Mika turned around, jumped out backwards and threw a pokéball into the hive.

Sen hurried to try to catch her, and she landed in his arms before the two of them fell over onto Ran.

"Ow," he said blankly.

Suddenly a pokéball rolled down the tree and came to a stop nearby. Mika picked it up and looked at her pokétch, which indicated she'd gathered more information on another pokémon. She'd caught a Combee!

"Augh, can we just go to Galvol City now?" Ran said as he shoved the others off of him. "I'm bored now and I'm craving battles with other trainers."

Mika and Sen agreed and the three of them made their may around the giant tree. Sen kept looking back at it, feeling guilty that they had trespassed in the Combee's home.

******************************************************************************

Mika placed her pokéballs on the counter for the nurse to take. She sat in a nearby chair and waited, wondering where the other two went. She knew Ran had to be somewhere with other trainers nearby, probably battling until his Piplup fell asleep with exhaustion. Sen was possibly out shopping for necessary items, like the three had agreed he'd do this time. She could only hope he was getting the items on the list she'd given him.

Soon the nurse called Mika over and handed over her pokéballs. Before Mika turned to leave, the nurse grabbed her arm.

"Um," the nurse hesitated. "I have to talk to you about something."

Sen walked inside, mumbling to himself about the ridiculous items he'd had to find. He looked up from the list and saw Mika with her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. She rushed away as he got closer.

Ran entered the building and set his pokéball on the counter to be healed, and Sen told him about what had just happened. Ran looked curiously at the nurse, who gave him his pokéball again.

Mika returned to the counter and said that she'd like to return a book to the library section and replace it with another, which she was holding. Sen saw that it was called _Keeping Your Pokémon Healthy: The Upside to Pokérus_.

He gasped and nudged Ran, who also noticed the cover. He looked at Sen, confused.

Minutes later, the three were headed for the Galvol Gym in the center of town. Ran asked Mika what Pokérus was, and she explained that it was a very mysterious virus that only infected pokémon. She said that nobody's noticed a downside to the virus yet, so her Shinx should be okay.

Ran stopped walking when she said the name of her pokémon.

Mika looked at him.

"I know. That's the realization I came to in the Pokémon Center. Shinx is getting stronger, and fast. I just wish I knew what the cause for the virus was."

Eventually they came to the front of the city's gym. Ran tried to open the door, but it was locked. Mika looked at a sign in the window that said "Gone to Magnet Temple. Be back soon!"


End file.
